ENT36 Escape Velocity
by A Rhea King
Summary: Most of an away team is injured when they happen upon a sink hole deep underground. Now Trip has to come up with a way to get Eartik -- a small, young jit -- out of the hole to get help.
1. Chapter 1

ESCAPE VELOCITY

By A. Rhea King

**CHAPTER 1**

"Why do they call it spelunking?" Eartik's voice echoed against the rock surrounding the away team but no one answered Eartik's question.

"K'pan, why do they call it spelunking?"

Archer didn't answer.

"Do you know why they call it spelunking, K'pan?"

Archer's lips tightened into a straight line. Not that anyone could see it, but he hoped Eartik would at least respond to his feeling of frustration and not ask the question for what had to be the millionth time. He wasn't so lucky.

"Why do they call it spelunking, K'pan?" Eartik paused to let Archer answer and when he didn't he continued asking, "Where did they get the word spelunking? Why's it sound so funny? Is it because it's so dark and you end up falling a lot if you don't have a light and might make a sound that sounds like spelunking?"

Archer stopped short, making Trip run into him. Trip chuckled.

"You're the one that told him what this was called, Cap'n," Trip teased Archer.

Archer turned, shining his flashlight in Eartik's face. Behind Eartik, T'Pol was studying her tricorder and Ensign Benton had her mouth covered to keep from laughing. The Jit, Xerrix, stood behind her and although he was smiling he had his eyes on the tricorder in his hand.

"I don't know why they call it spelunking, Eartik," Archer's voice rose as he continued venting, "they just do! And I don't know where they go the name. And I don't know why I even told you!"

Archer's voice echoed through the dark tunnels. He glanced at the crewmen, noticing they weren't smiling anymore. Archer walked back to Eartik, laying his hands on the child's shoulders.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell," Archer told the boy, "but could you _please_ stop asking me about spelunking. I don't know anything about it, except that it's a word in our vocabulary and it means cave exploration."

"Why didn't you just say that, K'pan?"

"Because..." Archer looked helplessly at Trip for assistance.

Trip grinned, crossing his arms across his chest. "Yeah? Why, K'pan?"

Archer narrowed his eyes at Trip, which only made Trip start laughing.

"Excuse me," Ensign Benton said, hurrying past Archer and Trip.

Eartik smiled suddenly. "Wanna know what Trip told me?"

Archer grinned. "Trip, lead the way. I have to find out what kind of a role model you _aren't_."

"Penance, huh?" Trip laughed.

Archer chuckled. "What did he tell you, Eartik?"

The group started moving again.

"Bats," Trip stated.

"Bats?" Archer asked. He looked down at Eartik. "He told you about bats?"

"No!" Eartik laughed.

Trip shone his light upward. "There's bats. A lot of 'em"

Overhead there were hundreds of bats clinging to the ceiling of the tunnel.

"What Trip tell ya, Eartik?"

"Stalagmites might touch the ceiling and stalactites have to hold on tight or they'll fall off." Eartik put on a proud face for remembering what his 'hero' had told him on the way down to the planet.

"That is a useful mnemonic device," T'Pol commented.

"Don't ya just love it when ya get Vulcan approval?" Trip asked Archer, meaning it as a jab at T'Pol.

Archer chuckled. "We should get headed back. After three days down here, I'm ready to see sunlight again."

"Look at this," Ensign Benton said from ahead of them.

Archer pushed past Trip to join her. She was kneeling on the ground, holding up a diamond the size of Archer's fist. Archer crouched down next to her, opening his mouth to speak. He stopped when he felt a draft of cold air hit his face. He shone his light up, watching the bats fly like a swarm of bees up the tunnel toward the exit.

"Wonder what spooked them," Trip said.

"Bats are not particularly partial to loud noises," T'Pol stated.

Trip looked back at her, shining his light in her face. "That was a bad joke, sweetheart."

T'Pol looked away and Trip turned his attention to Eartik when the child grabbed his hand. T'Pol turned her flashlight to the ground, noticing cracks. She shone her light around her. Her breath caught for a second when she watched a crack run from the wall toward where Archer and Ensign Benton were standing.

"This ground is unstable, Captain," T'Pol said, "we need t leave now."

Archer turned to her. "What?"

"We must leave now," T'Pol said, waving her flashlight at the ground to show him what she was talking about.

Archer shone his light down and saw a crack quickly making it's way from the opposite wall toward him.

"Everyone back. Now!" Archer ordered.

"I have to get a sample," Ensign Benton insisted.

Archer turned, grabbing her arm. "Now, Lisa!"

Ensign Benton was surprised when he pulled her up, making her drop the gem in her hand. She pulled back, reaching for the stone. The ground gave way, throwing Archer and Ensign Benton down. Archer's hands scrambled for something solid to grab on to and stop his fall. His hand found a root and he grabbed it with both hands. The ground continued to give way, causing him to fall as the land surrounding the root became exposed. He heard Eartik scream and looked up. Trip was falling toward him.

"TRIP!" Archer yelled, holding out his hand to Trip.

Trip's hand brushed Archer's arm before their hands linked at their wrists. Trip hit a wall of rock, pushed off and swung around, his hand grazing Eartik's waist before snapping around it and pulling the boy to him. Archer, Trip and Eartik were slammed into a dirt wall and their decent stopped. Archer closed his eyes a moment, trying to catch his breath. He looked around him but without the lantern and flashlights the walls had disappeared in the pitch-blackness. He looked down. Six meters down he saw two flashlights and could just barely make out a body of one of the team.

"Cap'n...we need to go down," Trip said. "I looked back and those cracks were running pretty far up the tunnel. We can't hang here forever."

"Can you get a hold of anything?" Archer asked.

"I can't _see_ anything," Trip retorted, "Eartik, what are you doing?"

"I see a root. It goes most of the way down. You said we had to go down."

"Okay. Get on it and start down," Trip told him.

"T'Pol? Xerrix?" Archer asked, "Lisa?

"I am above you," T'Pol answered, "however, I don't know for how much longer. The ledge supporting me is crumbling."

"Down here," Xerrix called from below.

"Ensign Benton," Archer called.

"She's below, sir. She appears unconscious."

They could hear the bats flying again.

"The grounds trembling again," Eartik said as he started climbing down again.

"Again?" Archer, Trip and T'Pol asked.

"Uh-huh. It trembled when the bats started flying and before the ground collapsed. Didn't you feel it? I thought all of you felt it."

"The tricorder was detecting micro-tremors," T'Pol told Archer.

"How in the hell did you feel a micro-tremor, kid?" Trip asked Eartik.

"He's Rartek. He can sense subtle movements like micro-tremors," Xerrix explained. "The monkeys could sense earthquakes days before they happened."

"I bet that set this off," Trip said. "This ground is like powder."

"Volcanic sand," T'Pol corrected. "There are several dormant volcanoes in the area."

"Leave it to a Vulcan to find a volcano," Trip joked.

"Your humor is ill placed right now, Commander," T'Pol told him tersely. "I've found another root, I'm starting down."

Archer started climbing down the root he had a hold of.

Below them Xerrix yelped.

"What? What happened?" Archer asked.

Xerrix didn't reply.

"Eartik?"

"Xerrix fell. The root came out of the wall."

"Where is he?"

"I'm fine," Xerrix said in a strained voice, "but I hurt my ankle."

"If that's the worse that happens to you, consider yourself lucky," Trip told him. He started climbing down again.

"Xerrix," he heard Eartik say.

"See if you can do something with that ankle, Eartik," Xerrix said.

Archer looked down. He still couldn't make out much below him.

"I'm almost to the bottom, Cap'n," Trip told Archer.

Archer gasped and tensed when he felt the root he was holding gave a little. He held his breath and waited. The root didn't move again. Archer almost let his breath out when the ground suddenly began to give way around him. Archer felt the root he was holding come loose from the ground and he reached out for the root T'Pol or Trip were on. Archer's hand found one as the root he held dropped past him. The ground continued to give way and the root he was now holding offered no support.

Archer looked down, seeing a flashlight lighting the ground rushing up to meet him. Archer landed on his right side, hearing and feeling bones break from his leg to his shoulder. He screamed from the pain that followed. White light appeared behind his eyes with the pain that followed and sucked the breath out of his lungs before knocking him unconscious.

Malcolm walked onto the bridge, looking up and expecting to see Archer in the captain's chair. Instead he found the senior night officer Lieutenant O'Malley.

"Sir," O'Malley said, rising from the chair. "Do you know where Captain Archer is?"

"No. Have you tried his quarters?" Malcolm asked.

"Yes, sir. I've even asked Navta to search the ship for him." O'Malley smiled a little. "She'll be sure to check every crack and corner on Enterprise." O'Malley's smile faded, "Logs show he, nor anyone from the second landing party, has reported in within the last twenty-four hours."

Malcolm glanced at the view monitor and the planet it was displaying. "None of them had reported before we left the surface either."

"I thought about sending a landing party back to the surface. May I?"

Malcolm nodded. "Yes. Find their shuttle first and then send the team down. You've chosen who's going on it?"

"Not yet, sir. Do you want to go on it, sir?" O'Malley asked.

"No. There aren't any other senior officers on board; I have to stay. But include Ryce or Zintar in the party. They may be able to sense them or something."

"Aye, sir."

Malcolm walked to his station and began morning diagnostics. He didn't want to sit and stare at the view monitor while he waited.

#

Trip swallowed, wetting his dry mouth. His body ached and his left wrist throbbed with dull pain, but it was nothing unbearable. He slowly pulled himself into a sitting position, careful to avoid applying too much pressure on his injured wrist.

"TRIP!" Eartik's voice cried and then the boy was hugging him, jarring his aching body.

Trip winced, gently pushing Eartik away. "Not so rough. I feel like I've just been bucked off a mechanical bull goin' fast."

"Trip," Eartik said.

"Hold on, Eartik."

"Trip."

Trip rubbed his hand across his forehead. "Where's the Cap--"

"TRIP!" Eartik yelled.

"What!?" Trip looked at Eartik.

The boy was crying and blood covered his hand and clothes

"Are you hurt?" Trip asked, reaching for Eartik's right arm that was covered with blood.

"I'm fine." Eartik started crying. "But I can't make it stop. You have to help me. Xerrix got hit by a rock and he's unconscious and so is T'Pol and Ensign Benton and I can't stop Captain Archer's bleeding and I'm really, really scared."

Trip got to his feet, letting the boy grab his hand. Now he saw that the boy had collected the backpacks they had been wearing before the fall and turned on two lanterns that he'd placed on either side of Archer. Eartik led Trip over to Archer, pointing at the right side of Archer's head. Trip knelt down, only able to stare for the moment. The head wound was bleeding quite a bit, but as far as Trip's limited first aid knowledge went, it didn't look terrible. Trip looked down and his stomach knotted. White bone poked through the shoulder of Archer's uniform. Further down he saw the ragged ends of two ribs punctured through Archer's uniform. Above his knee Archer's leg was twisted at an angle that could only mean his leg was broken.

"Get me a med pack," Trip ordered Eartik.

"We only have one and it doesn't have much in it."

"Bring me all the packs and anything that fell out of them when we fell. Hurry, Eartik."

Eartik ran off to obey. Trip moved over to T'Pol to examine her. She had hit her head as well and her right arm and leg were broken, but other than that, he saw no other external injuries. Trip walked to Ensign Benton and even before he reached a hand out to check her pulse, he knew she was dead. Trip closed her eyes and walked over to Xerrix to make sure he was still alive. He found a strong pulse and it appeared he only had a concussion. Trip returned to Archer's side.

"Here." Eartik trotted back, struggling to carry three packs and drag one behind him.

Trip started through the backpacks, pulling out anything he could use for a bandage. He tossed the blankets aside and turned to Archer to start bandaging him.

"Are there any sticks or branches down here?" Trip asked Eartik.

"Maybe. There's a little cave over there, but I was too afraid to go in alone."

Trip looked in the direction Eartik was pointing. "Think you could muster up some courage now that I'm awake? I really need a couple."

Eartik didn't answer. Trip looked back at him. Eartik was looking at the ground. Trip smiled patting Eartik's side.

"It's okay. I'll look when I'm done here." Trip tore a sleeve off a shirt and picked up a couple iodine packets. He handed them to Eartik.

"Clean up T'Pol's head and wrap this around it real snug. Can you use your healing touch to heal any of their wounds?"

"I haven't tried."

"Try."

"T'Pol first?"

"Yeah. And then Archer."

"And then Ensign Benton?"

Trip stopped working, realizing he didn't know how to tell Eartik Ensign Benton was dead.

"What's wrong, Trip?"

"Ensign Benton won't need our help, Eartik. Help T'Pol, okay?"

"Why?"

"Help T'Pol, Eartik. Leave Ensign Benton alone."

"But--"

"Eartik!" Trip yelled and then stopped himself. Trip took a long, deep breath and re-collected his patience. He looked back at Eartik. "Kiddo, my head is killing me and I'm really worried about the Cap'n. Please don't argue with me, okay?"

Eartik nodded.

"Good boy. Go patch T'Pol up."

Eartik turned and walked over to T'Pol. Trip returned to working on Archer's injuries.

#

T'Pol heard humming. She couldn't figure out why she was hearing humming in the temple, the place of her dream. She opened her eyes, finding dim light and the source of the humming. Eartik was sitting next to her playing with some rocks as he hummed a song.

"Eartik," T'Pol winced. Speaking made her head start hurting.

Eartik looked back at her. "T'Pol!" Eartik cried quietly, grinning.

"What has happened?"

"We fell. Don't you remember?"

T'Pol recalled hanging onto a root in the dark and then everything else was a memory she knew existed, but couldn't recall.

"Vaguely."

"Well, we all fell and now we're trying to figure out how to get out."

"We?"

"Well, Trip is. I'm just supposed to stay with you while he works things out, he said."

"How's your patient?" Trip asked, coming into the light and crouching down on T'Pol's other side.

"Have you devised a way to get out of..." T'Pol trailed off. She had no idea where she was.

"No. I _think_ we fell into an old lava tube, but when the dirt gave way, it filled it up both directions so we're stuck in a really deep pit now. There's two rock walls, but both walls are smooth with no foot or hand holds. The other two walls are this volcanic sand." Trip picked up a handful of the sand.

T'Pol started to get up but that made her head spin, which in turn made her violently nauseas and when she grabbed for her stomach, her broken arm flared pain up into her neck. Trip grabbed her before she fell back and gently laid her down.

"Don't try to get up, honey. Your arm and leg are broken. You have a nasty looking bruise on the side of your face too. Probably just a bruise, but I'd rather you not make it worse to prove me wrong, okay?"

T'Pol nodded.

"Would you like some water?" Eartik asked.

"Please."

"The canteen's over by Xerrix," Trip told him. He turned back to T'Pol. "Lay still, okay T'Pol?

T'Pol nodded.

What? No argument?" Trip joked.

T'Pol barely shook her head, closing her eyes.

Trip leaned over and gently kissed her forehead. "I'm trying to figure a way out of here, honey. Hold on." Trip lifted her hand up and kissed her fingers. "I love you."

T'Pol squeezed his hand.

Eartik trotted back. "Xerrix wants to speak with you, Trip."

"Be back," Trip told T'Pol.

Trip got up and walked over to Xerrix. He was resting against one of the rock walls with his leg up on a flat rock. Trip looked at his ankle that was swollen three times its normal size.

"I think it's broken," Xerrix said, pointing at his ankle.

"Maybe."

"How's T'Pol?"

"She's okay."

"You're lying, but that doesn't matter."

"I've thought of a plan. Do we have any tools?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Can you fix one tricorder and a communicator? Perhaps put in the memory chip of Captain Archer's or T'Pol's tricorder into one since they were mapping our route."

"Maybe. Why?"

Xerrix reached out and grabbed a rock sticking out of the sandy wall. He tugged on it, looking back at Trip.

"It's sandy and loose, but not for someone who's light. Eartik is Rartek too. He can easily scale this wall and see in the dark. But he's going to need a tricorder to get him out of here and a communicator to get a hold of the crew once he gets out."

"I'm not sending him up that! It's too dangerous."

"T'Pol is hurt, Captain Archer is severely injured, and how long before Eartik discovers Ensign Benton is dead? Are you prepared to deal with him if he handles the discovery poorly?"

"Are you sure you're not part Vulcan?" Trip asked quietly.

Xerrix smiled. "Perhaps I am. Never know with the Varlikon."

Trip smiled. "True. I'll see what I can do. But I'm not sending him up unless I have a working tricorder and communicator. Tell him nothing until then, okay?"

Xerrix nodded.

"Captain Archer's conscious," Eartik called out.

Trip stood and jogged over to Archer. He crouched down on Archer's left side. Trip reached out and laid a hand on Archer's chest before Archer moved and caused more injury to himself.

"Take it easy, Cap'n. Don't move."

"Where are we?" Archer whispered, only the left side of his mouth working since the right was swollen with an ugly green and dark purple bruise.

"We fell into an old lava tube, I think. I don't know for sure."

"How is everyone?"

"T'Pol's injured but conscious. Xerrix has a goose egg and maybe broken ankle. Eartik's okay."

"You?"

"A good sized goose-egg and I sprang my wrist. Hurts a little but I'll live."

"Lisa?"

Trip hesitated. He was sure Eartik was listening to them.

"She's a cadaver," Trip replied.

"What's a cadaver?" Eartik asked.

Both men ignored Eartik's question.

"Damn."

"I'm working on a plan. We'll get out of here." Trip started to get up.

Archer latched onto Trip's wrist with his good hand. The quick movement caused him to wince and let out a soft grunt.

"Stay," Archer said.

"Cap'n, I--"

"How's your mom make her catfish?"

Trip hesitated. He sat down, turning his hand and taking Archer's.

"I'll get us out of here, Cap'n," Trip said, "somehow. Don't...don't be afraid. I can't do this alone. T'Pol's must be hurtin' bad cuz she's not being herself and if you lose it..."

Trip looked to the side when he saw tears run from Archer's eyes.

"I can't feel anything below my neck, Trip," Archer whispered. "Stay. Please."

Trip smiled a little, nodding.

Archer attempted a smile. "Tell me about the catfish, Trip. Tell me a good story."

Trip gently laid Archer's hand on his chest. He sat down, hugging one knee and leaning forward on his leg. He rocked his head a little, starting, "She only does it with fresh catfish. Usually we boys went and caught 'em on the weekend and we'd have 'em that week. Dad always caught the biggest one and until I figured out the right bait and spot, I always caught minnows..."

#

"Charles."

Trip looked up from his work to T'Pol.

"Yeah?"

"May I have a drink of water?"

Trip looked around him and spotted the canteen next to Eartik. The boy had finally lain down next to Xerrix and went to sleep. Trip retrieved the canteen and sat next to her. Trip gently lifted her up, resting her torso against him while he helped her drink. He capped the canteen and began to lay her down. T'Pol grabbed his arm with her good hand, pulling herself back into his arms. She laid her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes.

"How is Captain Archer?"

"In and out."

"He is fearful?"

"Yeah."

T'Pol opened her eyes. "I have never been afraid."

"You've told me that more than once."

"I am now."

Trip closed his eyes. That was the last thing he wanted to hear. Trip had never realized how dependant he'd become on T'Pol or Archer to solve any given problem when they were present.

"Charles?"

"Yeah?"

"I respect your emotional strength. You have come through many trials and always managed to keep sight on the best thing that could happen in any given situation. I have found it is one of many balances in our relationship."

Trip kissed her temple. "And the others?"

T'Pol didn't reply.

"Get some sleep, honey. Makes the pain go away for a while."

"That is not--"

Trip interrupted her before she could contradict him. "If you're asleep, you aren't conscious of the pain. So get some sleep. I have work to do."

"You are repairing a tricorder. For what purpose?"

"Me to know and you to find out. Sleep, T'Pol. You need it."

"As you wish."

"Thank you."

T'Pol reached up with her good arm, hooking her hand on Trip's arm.

"I'm not going to leave you, sweetheart," Trip assured her. "Go to sleep."

Trip rested his cheek against her head and waited until he was sure she was asleep before laying her back down and returning to his work.

#

"Sir."

Malcolm looked up from the monitor at Hoshi across the bridge. "Yes?"

"The landing party is reporting in."

"Put in on the bridge COM."

Hoshi reached out and pressed the overhead button.

"Go ahead, Lieutenant O'Malley," Malcolm said.

"Sir, we found their markers in a tunnel down here, but we haven't found any sign of them. The markers go pretty deep into the caverns. How deep did he report they were going?"

"He didn't." Malcolm looked down at the monitor. "Have you reached the end of the markers?"

"No."

"They had two days head start on us. Follow them to the end. Tell everyone to keep their beacons on and don't go anywhere if their beacon isn't working. I don't want to lose any other crewmen. Send a crewman to man a relay station outside so we can keep communications up if you go too deep. I'm going to send another landing party down to aid in the search."

"Aye, sir. We'll report when we have more news. O'Malley out."

Malcolm looked at Travis. He was working without paying any attention. Malcolm wondered if the young Ensign was simply good at hiding his emotions or if he really wasn't concerned about his fellow crewmen.

"Mayweather."

Travis looked up at him.

"Feel like spelunking?"

"Thought you'd never ask, sir. Which shuttle?"

"Only one left. Go get your rock climbing gear. They may need your expertise."

Travis got up and left the bridge. Malcolm turned to the monitor in front of him and brought up the ship duty roster to try to decide who needed to go.

"Sir?" Hoshi said.

"Hm?"

"I may be out of line...but..."

Malcolm looked up at her. Hoshi tried a couple times to finish her sentence.

"Hurry up and get down there, Ensign."

Hoshi smiled. "Thank you, sir."

Malcolm looked back at the roster. He opened a ship COM and read of four more names to report to the shuttle bay.


	2. Chapter 2

**CHAPTER 2**

Trip woke hearing growling. For a moment he was confused, thinking he was hearing Porthos, but then the reality of everything came back to him. He sat up, looking at Xerrix. The Jit was growling, watching something in the darkness beyond the lantern light. Eartik was crouched beside him, also staring intensely. Trip looked in the same direction, but it was too dark for him to see anything."

"Do we have a working phase pistol?" Xerrix asked.

Trip looked at him. "No. Why?"

"Eartik swears he sees something over there. I can hear it, but I can't see it."

Trip slowly got to his feet, keeping an eye on the darkness. He walked over to where the other three lanterns sat and turned on a second one. It flared for a second and then went out. Trip muttered a curse, looking down at it. Trip heard a movement and looked around, seeing a creature lunging out of the darkness at him. Then he was being yanked to the ground and the creature flew over him. Trip rolled onto his knees, watching the creature turn. It looked like a wild boar the size of a Pit Bull with a mouth full of razor sharp teeth. Trip felt a hand on his wrist and glanced back down. Eartik was holding onto Trip's arm with a death grip, watching the creature with alert eyes and a calm expression.

Trip's head whipped around when he heard movement and this time Eartik didn't move fast enough to yank Trip out of the way. The creature's weight threw Trip to the ground. Trip swung his fist and it connected with the creature's jaw. It let out a roaring squeal, waking T'Pol and Archer. The creature snapped at Trip, tearing through the shoulder of his uniform into his skin. Trip tried to pull it off but it proved to be much stronger than it looked. Eartik grabbed the creature's back legs and easily pulled it off. Trip jumped to his feet, finding Eartik crouched on one side of the creature and Xerrix crouched on the opposite side of the creature.

Xerrix made a soft sound and Eartik slowly moved to the right, putting himself between Trip and the creature. The creature circled, watching the two. The creature lunged at Eartik. Eartik moved deftly to the right, leapt over the top of the animal and caught it's leg. Using all his strength, he threw the creature. The creature's teeth snapped shut on air in front of Trip's stomach. Xerrix attacked the creature and for a few minutes there was the creature's squeal mixed with Xerrix growling. Xerrix grabbed hold of the creature's head and snapped its neck. Xerrix stood and quickly lost his balance when he put too much weight on his ankle. He closed his eyes, holding his injured ankle and trying to force back his tears of pain.

"Here," Trip said, trotting over to him. He helped Xerrix back to his seat.

"You should look over there and see if you can find where it came from," Xerrix said.

"Planned on it."

Xerrix smiled. "Haven't fought like that...since my master died."

"Let's not make it a habit. Especially with a bum ankle. Deal?"

"I agree."

Trip got up and collected the corpse. He walked over to where Ensign Benton's body was and dropped the beast near her body. Trip returned to the group, crouching down beside T'Pol.

"You okay?" Trip asked her.

"That is a rhetorical question."

"Good. Glad to hear it." Trip turned to Archer, kneeling down beside him. "You?"

"I was dreaming of chocolate raspberries," Archer joked.

Trip smiled. "Dream of women and wine too. Makes it all go together better."

"I'll try." Archer's eyes shut again.

Trip patted Archer's shoulder. He got up and picked up a lantern, turning it on. Trip turned and started across the pit. He looked down when he felt a hand on his hip, finding Eartik beside him. He almost ordered the child to go back, but he was nervous enough that he wanted the company while checking this out. Trip lifted the lantern up when he reached the wall and walked along it until he came to a hole the size of the beast. Trip crouched down, examining it.

"It came through there?" Eartik asked.

"I don't know." Trip sat the lantern down, looking at the footprints in the black sand around the hole, "These look like its footprints though."

"That's small."

"Big enough for that creature to come through."

"What if there's others?"

"Yes. What if there are," Trip mused, looking around. He spotted a boulder slightly bigger than the hole. "Wait here, Eartik."

Trip got up and walked over to it. He pushed on it, but the boulder wouldn't budge. Trip looked at Eartik.

"On second thought, I need your muscle kiddo."

Eartik trotted over and together the two rolled the boulder in front of the hole.

"What if that hole leads out?" Eartik asked.

"What if it does?"

"I could have fit through there."

"Not a chance even if hell froze over am I sending you in there, Eartik." Trip picked up the lantern and took Eartik's hand. "And don't go getting any wild ideas of going behind my back, either, understand me?"

"But--"

Trip stopped, crouching down so he could look Eartik in the eyes. "Eartik, no. And don't lie to me like you do about the Jefferies tubes and maintenance tunnels. I don't want you going in that hole. Even if there aren't any other creatures in there, you could get lost. You are not to go in that hole. Got it?"

Eartik nodded.

"What?" Trip asked him.

"Yes, sir."

Trip stood, taking his hand. "Good boy."

Eartik looked up at Trip. "I wouldn't lie about that, Trip," Eartik promised, "Not that. You'd be sad if I got hurt or lost, so I really do promise this time, Trip. I swear I do."

"Good. Remember that."

"I will, Trip."

Trip tightened the waist strap of the pack around Eartik's waist.

"That's too tight, Trip," Eartik complained.

"I don't want it swinging while your climbing, Eartik."

"But I can't breathe. I'll fall if I faint!"

Trip loosened the strap some. "Better?"

"Yeah. I can breathe now."

Trip looked up at Eartik's face. He laid his hands on the boy's arms, waiting for Eartik to look at him.

"Now tell me again what do you do when you get to the top?" Trip asked.

"I've told you seven times already."

"Tell me eight times."

Eartik heaved a heavy sigh. "When I get to the top I get away from the edge and the soft dirt as fast as I can until I reach rock. And then I used the tricorder to get back to the surface and I hail Hoshi with the communicator and I do exactly as she tells me with no questions."

"Good."

Trip looked up the sandy wall. He was having doubts about sending the boy up the wall. Trip looked at Eartik when he put his hands on Trip's shoulders. Eartik smiled.

"Better get going, Trip. I'm not getting any younger," Eartik told him.

Trip chuckled. "Okay, old man."

"Eartik," Archer called.

Eartik turned. Archer motioned the boy to him.

Eartik walked over and knelt down beside Archer. "Yeah, K'pan?"

"Don't dally. You know what that means?"

"No."

"That means don't stop until you get to the surface, Eartik. I need you to do this for me, okay?"

"'Cause you're hurt, huh?"

"Yes."

"I'll hurry."

"No. Don't hurry. Take your time, Eartik, but don't dally, don't stop like you did coming down here. Keep moving. Okay?"

"O-kay." Eartik smiled, patting Archer's good shoulder. "I won't dally and I'll get my dad to come help you, okay?"

"Okay," Archer whispered.

Eartik patted Archer's good shoulder again and trotted back to Trip. "All ready now."

Trip laid his hand on Eartik's shoulder and the two walked to the wall that led up to the tunnel they'd come down. Trip walked along the wall until he finally found a spot that looked manageable for the first few meters.

"Here, Eartik. Start here."

Trip looked down. Eartik pulled off his shoes and socks and handed them to Trip. Trip put them in the backpack and switched on the flashlight swinging from the backpack.

"Okay, kiddo, get climbing," Trip told him, "but take it slow. Don't get in a rush getting up there. And don't stop talking until you get to the top. I want to know where you're at on the way up in case you fall so I can catch you."

Eartik looked sidelong up at Trip, "Can I go yet _dad_?"

Trip smirked, "Yes, son. Get up there!" Trip ruffled the boy's hair.

Eartik turned to the wall and took a long deep breath. "And don't dally." Eartik grabbed two rocks and started climbing.

Trip backed up a couple steps, watching the boy climb.

"And get to rock when I get to the top and use the tricorder to get to the surface and call Hoshi and do what she says. Sheesh! You adults worry too much, know that Trip?"

Eartik had disappeared into the darkness, but Trip could still see his flashlight swinging back and forth as he climbed.

"It's our job. Someday when you're an adult you'll get that job too, Eartik."

"Nope. Never going to be an adult, Trip." Eartik called back down.

Trip smiled. "Betcha will."

"Betcha I won't."

Trip smiled some more. "Will too!"

"Will not!"

"Will too times infinity and beyond."

"Not fair!"

Trip chuckled. "I never played fair when I was your age. Why start now?"

"'cause you're Trip and you're supposed to. Okay, I'm at the top Trip. I'll get help, guys." Eartik called out a second before the flashlight light vanished.

"Don't get in a rush, Eartik!" Trip yelled.

"Okay!" Eartik's voice was far away already. "Bye!"

Trip looked down, "God's speed, Eartik."

"Charles," T'Pol called.

Trip turned and went back to tending to his patients.

Travis and Ensign Sherie Fields were following the tunnel they were in, watching their tricorders for any reading to locate their missing captain and crewmen. Travis heard the sound of footsteps approaching and stopped, watching down the tunnel. He didn't see anything down the tunnel he was walking. He looked behind them, listening and waiting.

"There," Sherie said.

Travis looked where she pointed. He could make out a faint light that was gradually getting brighter. Travis stepped around, drawing his phase pistol.

"Hello?" Travis called out.

The footsteps stopped.

"Hello?" a familiar voice repeated.

Travis smiled. "Eartik?"

"Who's that?"

"Travis."

"TRAVIS!" Eartik yelled and Travis heard Eartik start running.

The boy ran right into Travis, throwing his arms around Travis' waist.

"I'm _so_ glad to see you," Eartik said, giving Travis a tighter squeeze. He stepped back, looking up, "But I'm not supposed to dally. K'pan told me so. They're back down there." Eartik pointed back down the tunnel. "K'pan and T'Pol are hurt bad. Xerrix's ankle is broken. Trip's okay, but he's not much of a doctor like my dad. Ensign Benton's dead. None of them know I know but I know she is."

Travis pulled his communicator out of his pocket and opened it. "Travis to anyone."

"Go ahead," someone replied.

"Can you get a lock on my position?"

"Yes."

"I found Eartik and he says the captain and others are further down. I need a team to go with me. I'm sending Sherie back to the surface with Eartik."

"All teams report to Ensign Mayweather's position immediately."

"Come on Eartik." Sherie held her hand out to the boy.

"No. I have to go back down to show you where they're at," Eartik said, stepping back into the tunnel.

Travis put his hands on Eartik's shoulders, "Eartik, do you have any idea how worried your parents have been since you've been missing?"

Eartik shook his head.

"You've been missing for two days now and they have been worried out of their minds about you. Go with Sherie and go back to Enterprise, okay?"

"But what about--"

"You found us and now we're going to get them out. Go with Sherie, Eartik. You've done a great job finding us and telling us where they're at."

Eartik looked down. "Okay. Here." Eartik handed Travis his tricorder. "Trip made the route out red. I guess you can follow it. I guess you don't need me after all."

Travis smiled. "We did need you. We were heading in the wrong direction, Eartik. You did a great job."

Eartik offered Travis a weak smile. He didn't resist Sherie taking his hand and leading him back up the tunnel.

#

Trip looked up, hearing voices. His heart was beating in his throat with anxious anticipation.

"Hello?" someone called.

"Down here. Don't come near the edge," Trip called back. "It'll give way."

There was a quiet murmur of people talking.

"Trip?" Travis' voice asked.

"Yes!"

"Eartik's quite the trooper. You're nearly five kilometers off the main tunnel."

Trip smiled. "He's a good kid. What's the plan?"

"Don't have one yet. Got a few problems here and not real sure what to do."

"Problems? You mean like the ground giving way? No light? Bats?" Trip asked sarcastically.

"To name a few. Eartik said the others are hurt."

Trip's humor vanished. "Xerrix's ankle's swollen, but he's conscious and okay. T'Pol's in and out." Trip looked down at Archer. "The Cap'n's been unconscious a long time, Travis. His head's bleeding and he's in really bad shape. I think we're working against the clock."

"We're hurrying. I'm tossing down a med pack. Eartik said you needed one."

Trip looked up. "Yeah. Toss it."

Trip saw a form appear suddenly out of the dark and he ran and caught it.

"Got it?"

"Got it."

"There's two crewmen posted up here. If you need anything, let them know. I have to go back to let Malcolm know you guys are alive at least and get some ideas on how we're going to work this."

"Hurry, Travis."

"I will. Be right back, sir."

Trip looked down at the pack in his hands.

"I could use something for the pain," T'Pol said quietly from behind Trip.

Trip walked over to her and knelt down. He opened the pack and dug out a vile and hypospray. He inserted the vile and pressed the hypospray against her neck.

"Better?" Trip asked.

T'Pol nodded a little.

"Let me know if you need anything, T'Pol. Don't go Vulcan on me now, okay?"

"I promise I won't go 'Vulcan' on you, Charles."

Trip reached down, laying his hand on her cheek. She turned her head, letting her cheek rest against his hand.

"You really hurt, don't you?" Trip whispered.

"Yes."

Trip sat down beside her. "I could sing."

"I said I was already in pain," T'Pol rejoined.

Trip chuckled. "Yeah. You did."

"Tell me more of your family," T'Pol requested.

Trip looked up, thinking. He began talking in a quiet voice.

Trip looked up from the PADD he was working on when he heard Archer move. Trip stood, setting the PADD on the bio-bed next to him. He leaned his hip against the bed, laying his hand on Archer's forearm. Archer's eyes opened to slits.

"Welcome back, Cap'n," Trip said with a smiles. "Feel like running some laps?"

"No," Archer whispered, but his oxygen mask muffled his words.

Archer slowly lifted his hand toward the mask.

"Here." Trip reached out and slid the oxygen mask down. "If either Doc catches you without that I'll never hear the end of it, but I can't stand 'em either. Doubt that a little while off will hurt."

"T'Pol?" Archer whispered.

"She's okay. Fractured a couple ribs and her leg, and busted her arm in two places. Xerrix just sprang his ankle real good. The two of 'em hobbling around the halls is pretty funny to watch."

Archer attempted a faint smile. "Me?" he whispered.

"You, on the other hand, tried to keel over a couple times this week." Trip patted Archer's arm. "But you're on the mend. Doctor Phlox said you'd be in here for a spell, but he muttered something like he doubted you'd stay long enough for his preference."

Archer's eyes closed. "Tired."

"Gotta put this back on." Trip picked up the oxygen mask to put it back over Archer's mouth. "Then you can take a nap."

"Trip," Archer whispered.

"Yeah?" Trip pulled the mask down.

"Stay. Please"

"I'm not going anywhere. Promise."

"Good friend."

Trip smiled, patting Archer's arm again. "Just returning a bunch of favors was all. Get some sleep, Jon." Trip gently placed the oxygen mask back over Archer's mouth.

Trip waited until he was sure Archer was asleep before returning to his work on the PADD.


End file.
